The president of the Italian Fencing Federation (FIS) provided us with an exclusive interview at the venue of the world fencing championship.
1) The FIS has provided massive support to the small federations (precise name). What kind of support was offered to the small federation?
The technical support given to coaches and athletes was fundamental. Coaches from small Federations and emerging Federations have had the possibility to dialogue with Italian Coaches on the agonistic approach and on the basic setup. The athletes were able to take advantage of this support, training and comparing themselves in training camps (the 2010 Epee World Champion, Nikolai Novosjolov, trained before the Catania World Championships with the Italian Team).
In many cases, athletes coming from different Continents, live for long periods in Italy, taking part in the agonistic and social life of our fencing Clubs, which are also the strength of Italian Fencing. An important factor for the growth of the athletes is the organisation of competitions in Italy following the level of the emerging Federations, involving Italian athletes of the Cadet, Junior or 2 section categories. Another significant moment for the growth, development and integration, was the opening to all the Italian National Competitions to foreign athletes, allowing them to win the title of Champion, except in the Italian Championships, where the title of Champion of Italy is assigned.
A further way of helping the development of small and medium Federations is taking part in the Competitions organised by them, even if it is not of primary importance; taking part in a competition with young competitive athletes, whose primary intent is not to “monopolize the pistes” but to live, in both a human and technical way, an experience with equal similarities. This is a concrete way to contribute to the growth and development of a hosting Federation.
2) Why do the FIS consider the development of the small federations so important?
The more Fencing is developed around the world, the more competitive it gets, and therefore the results gain more value.
This gives higher value to the results achieved in our own Countries in favour of the Public Opinion and Political and Sports Authorities and, most importantly, Fencing becomes a universal Sport in the eyes of the IOC.
On this subject, it would be very useful if within the FIE some meditations were made. I do hope that during the next Annual Congresses we do not limit ourselves to Statute and Rules modifications, but can also be a moment of advantageous comparison on promotion, development and growth of our movement. It is fundamental that everyone feels the importance of the development of our movement and not only in a numerical way. Not only Countries that vote, but Countries that do Fencing in the interest of our magnificent discipline.
3) What is the expected impact of your support? What would you like to achieve?
A Federation is not credible only if its athletes win some medals, but when it is able to dialogue and to arise as a point of reference in the international panorama.
The Italian Federation is convinced that being able to dialogue and compare opinions with both bigger and smaller Federations, helps the development and to spread Fencing, indirectly, both in Italy and in the rest of the World.
Thanks to the trust that the world of international fencing had given to Italy, during the last 8 years 2 senior World Championships were organised (Torino and Catania), 2 Junior and Cadet World Championsips (Trapani and Acireale), 1 European Cadet and 1 European u.23 Championships, without mentioning several World Cup Competitions.
All this contributed to the high spread of Fencing in Italy, leading sponsors and media to take an always higher interest in our Sport. Thanks to this visibility, our Fencing Clubs are gaining a high interest and increasing the number of participants and people coming closer to Fencing. This starts a virtuous process that helps on numbers, on the technical side, with media and with visibility.
F.I.S., as well as in the eyes of the Italian Sporting and institutional environment, also wants to place itself as a Federation able to dialogue with realities of other Countries and therefore become a medium of promoter of the Italian Sports Culture.
4) On the 2nd day of the final competitions, Italy had three out of four possible world champions. Would you share the know-how? :)
The experience gained by the Italian Federation is not private property but absolutely and dutifully to be shared with all those who have in their heart the development of Fencing. An “Italian Model” that can be exported does not exist, but there is a national reality that feels the need to compare opinions, and is convinced that together it is possible to grow both on a technical and agonistic point of view and in terms of promotion and Marketing and Media.
